Improving airborne disaster response coordination and communication with real-time open environmental data
Air pollution exposure in the United States is worsening due to changes in the environment and extreme natural events, such as wildfires and volcanic eruptions.
Air pollution exposure in the United States is worsening due to changes in the environment and extreme natural events, such as wildfires and volcanic eruptions. To improve public health responses during such events, it is important to have widespread air quality monitoring to improve scientific knowledge of how communities are impacted. It is crucial during air pollution emergencies to quickly gather and analyze data from various sources to make decisions about protecting public health and managing important infrastructure. Currently, there are many sources of data about air quality and human health, but they are not combined in a useful way to help with immediate responses to disasters. During the working group, we will pursue creating a comprehensive approach that considers all types of hazards to measure how natural disasters affect air quality, including using affordable air quality sensors increasingly being used by the public. These sensors provide detailed information about air quality at many different locations and times. By improving how we collect, combine, and analyze data from different sources, we can better respond to air pollution emergencies, protect people's health, manage important infrastructure, help communities recover, and clean up polluted areas.
Principal Investigators
David Damby (USGS)
Nicholas Clements (University of Colorado Boulder)
Benjamin Crawford (University of Colorado Denver)
Air pollution exposure in the United States is worsening due to changes in the environment and extreme natural events, such as wildfires and volcanic eruptions.
Air pollution exposure in the United States is worsening due to changes in the environment and extreme natural events, such as wildfires and volcanic eruptions. To improve public health responses during such events, it is important to have widespread air quality monitoring to improve scientific knowledge of how communities are impacted. It is crucial during air pollution emergencies to quickly gather and analyze data from various sources to make decisions about protecting public health and managing important infrastructure. Currently, there are many sources of data about air quality and human health, but they are not combined in a useful way to help with immediate responses to disasters. During the working group, we will pursue creating a comprehensive approach that considers all types of hazards to measure how natural disasters affect air quality, including using affordable air quality sensors increasingly being used by the public. These sensors provide detailed information about air quality at many different locations and times. By improving how we collect, combine, and analyze data from different sources, we can better respond to air pollution emergencies, protect people's health, manage important infrastructure, help communities recover, and clean up polluted areas.
Principal Investigators
David Damby (USGS)
Nicholas Clements (University of Colorado Boulder)
Benjamin Crawford (University of Colorado Denver)